Declarations of Love
by The Original Space Cadet
Summary: Oneshot. Two Rangers declare their love for each other. Please R&R. Warning: Femslash.


_Dear Diary,_

_I'm starting to feel isolated and lonely. I want someone to love, someone to love me. Me and the other Rangers and Princess Shayla are like family, but it's not enough. Family is important, but what I want is someone special. Someone to love in that special way. Someone to hold me only as a lover can. What I want is someone to call my lover. Everyone seems to have someone or something to fill that void except for me. Shayla and Merrick have each other, Danny has Kendall, even though they can't be together, Cole is in love with nature, Max is in love with life in general. I have school and my dream of becoming a teacher, but that seems so far off with the fight against the Orgs, and even then, that's a dream, not a romance. Nature and life may work for Cole and Max, but I need someone in my life._

_The worst part of it all is that I know who the someone I want is. It's Taylor. I'm in love with Taylor. But it could never be. She was in the military, and I've heard how homophobic they are. If she ever found out…_

_But I can't help it, I love her just the same. I've admired her ever since I became a Ranger. Her strength, her courage in fighting the Orgs alone, the leadership with which she held the team together before Cole joined. When Cole joined and was made leader, my admiration grew as she accepted his authority. It must have been hard on her, having leadership taken from her through no fault of her own, but she got over it relatively quickly. As I got to know her as a person, the qualities I admired about her as a Ranger merged with the what I admired about her a person-the caring person capable of smiling and laughter underneath the front-and what was simple admiration became true love._

_It's horrible. I love her, but she can never know. I'm so close to her, yet too far away._

Tears stained the page as Alyssa closed her diary, crying heavily. It wasn't fair. Why did she have to be in love with someone she couldn't have? Approaching footsteps made her aware of someone coming behind her. It was none other than Taylor, the object of Alyssa's affection.

Taylor looked at Alyssa in concern. "Alyssa? Is something wrong?"

_She's so beautiful_, Alyssa thought. "No," she tried to lie, "everything's fine." But she couldn't hold back the tears that told the truth. Sobbing, she ran out of the part of the Animarium that served as her bedroom.

Taylor turned to follow but was stopped by a thud as something hit the ground. In her haste, Alyssa had knocked her diary over. Taylor bent to pick it up, and then stopped. The diary had also been knocked open. Taylor wouldn't read Alyssa's diary without asking, but one sentence caught her attention and froze Taylor in her tracks.

_I'm in love with Taylor._

_She can't seriously_ _mean me, _Taylor thought. _Can she? She loves…me?_

"Alyssa, wait!" Taylor hurried out of the room in search of her.

Alyssa had gone to a remote part of the Animarium where she could be alone. She sat there for hours, crying her eyes out, wishing she loved anyone but Taylor. She didn't care who, as long as it was someone else, someone she could actually have. The hours passed and day turned to night as Alyssa cried. Finally, she heard someone coming. _Please, not Taylor, _she thought. But it was none other than her. Alyssa got up to run again, but Taylor stopped her. "Alyssa, please wait!"

That was the last thing Alyssa wanted to do, but she couldn't refuse. She slowly sat back down, her eyes filled with tears.

"I…"Taylor began, and then stopped. This would be hard to say, but she had to say it. In a burst of strength, she said "I saw your diary entry."

Alyssa began to cry again, not because of a feeling of betrayal, she knew Taylor wouldn't purposefully read her diary, but because Taylor now knew. "I can't help it," she sobbed.

Taylor put an arm around Alyssa's shoulder. "It's nothing to be ashamed of," she said. "We can't help who we fall in love with."

"I'm not ashamed of being in love with another woman," Alyssa protested between sobs. "What I'm crying about is the fact I'm in love with you! Why did it have to be you? You're someone I can't have!"

"Why is that?"

"Well, you were in the Air Force. I know how homophobic the military is!"

Taylor smiled. "Not all of us are like that. I don't believe that we fall in love with men or women. I believe we fall in love with people."

"Really?"

"Yes," Taylor said. She took a deep breath before continuing. "And I love you, Alyssa."

Alyssa was stunned. "You love me?"

Taylor nodded. "Yes. You're kind and caring and cheerful, always smiling. And you're also brave, dedicated, and loyal. You're everything I admire in a person and more."

"Are you just saying that?"

"No, I truly love you, Alyssa. Let me prove how much." Without another word, Taylor leaned in, and putting her lips against Alyssa's, engaged in the kind of kiss only a lover can give.

As Taylor pulled away, Alyssa was crying again. But this time they were tears of joy, the kind that comes when you learn that your love is reciprocated. Her face beaming, she leaned in for another kiss. When it was done, she could only say "I love you, Taylor Earheart."

Taylor smiled. "I love you, Alyssa Enrile."


End file.
